Law Degree Or Bust
by starrynightstarryeyes
Summary: Massie Block, determined to make a name of herself that wasn't followed by Block Incorporated, is now a junior at Columbia University Law School. She also was recently accepted into an internship program at a prestigious law firm in manhattan. What happens when her boss hates her, and she hates him, but they love to sleep with each other? Nothing good.
1. Chapter 1

Standing in her vince camuto lorim black patent pumps and her nanette lepore black blazer, she smoothed down the black french connection tank top she tucked into her tight burgundy ronny kobo skirt before stepping out of the gold-painted elevator onto the eighth floor on 77th avenue.

It was her first day interning at Stern Komodo LLC, and she was beyond excited. She took her kate spade notebook and tucked it into her burgundy givenchy nightingale purse beside her iPad. Pushing open the frosted glass double doors, she entered the firm with her head held high and a bright smile painted red by her chanel lipstick.

" _Ms. Block, we've been expecting you."_ A girl sitting behind the counter gave her a bright white smile, blinking her almond shaped eyes at her before tossing her thick, glossy black mane over her shoulder and standing to come around to the other side.

" _I am so excited you're here!"_ The secretary squealed, moving to give Massie a big hug. Massie, puzzled, gave her one in return.

" _I'm the only person under twenty six who works here_ ," she whispered to Massie before pulling away and extending a hand to her. _"I'm Alicia Rivera, your new assistant. Well, the only office assistant here, but I'll be here to help guide you. I know transitioning can be hard, and some of our attorney's here are harder to warm up to than others."_

" _Oh, it's so nice to meet you!"_ Massie replied with fake-excitement, well, to Alicia it probably sounded genuine, but anyone who knew Massie knew it so wasn't. " _How is my attorney? I still haven't met him yet._ " The brunette explained, her black kohl-lined eyes darting around the room to find the right office door.

" _Ugh, super cute in a dark, brooding and damaged kind of way. He takes a lot to warm up to though, so hopefully you have thick skin. You must if they matched you with him,_ " Alicia explained before beginning to lead her towards her new office room.

" _He's just turned twenty six April fourth, so he's the second youngest. Total aries, though. Very impulsive, very aggressive, very stubborn. He's sociable, though."_ With a shrug, the latina pressed open the door and send a wide toothy smile to the attorney sitting at his desk.

" _I have a delivery for you, Mr. Harrington! One intern, at your service_." She smiled, turning to Massie and winking. " _Buzz me if you need me!"_ With a giggle, Alicia returned back to her place at the front of the office and settled back into her chair.

Massie turned her attention to the attorney who was getting out of his chair to come greet Massie. " _It's nice to meet you, I've read over your file, you seem very qualified. Nice to bring you on board._ "

" _Nice to meet you too. Where should I start?"_ The girl was surprised at how good looking he was, what with his 'devil may care' attitude he oozed.

The man smirked. " _Slow down, tiger. You just got here. I have paperwork on your desk to fill out in terms of payroll and benefits, then you have a to do box on your desk._ " With that, Derrick nodded and went back to his chair.

Massie followed his lead and stalked to her desk, inspecting it. It was just the two of them in this open room, with one door that separates his from hers. She hoped it wouldn't be closed, because she would not be able to deal with a weird partner who needed to work in silence.

She set her purse on her desk, and began to empty it. Massie placed a bottle of chanel number 19 on the desk, alongside her notebooks, givenchy-covered iPad, swarovski pens that were placed into the pen holder on the corner of the desk, and a golden plated name plate on the edge of the desk. She pulled out a round item that looked like an echo dot, and placed it on the left corner of the desk.

Derrick watched her in amusement, a smirk pulling at his lips. She was very attractive, seemed to be all bite and bark, which was something he was thankful for. He needed someone who could fool around a bit with him, play on his banter and not take it so personally.

All of a sudden, he heard waves crashing onto the shore.

" _What the fuck is that?"_ Derrick questioned, standing at his desk and sauntering towards her area of the office.

" _It's a white noise machine, it helps me concentrate."_

" _Turn. It. Off. I can't have my clients call and hear it thinking I'm on a Wailea Beach._ "

" _Oh, you've been to Hawaii?_ " The girl asked with a glint in her eyes.

" _I'm surprised you know where that even is,"_ he snarked before turning back and going back to his desk.

" _Well, this will be a blast,"_ she thought to herself before rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest.


	2. Chapter 2

" _How does someone just not like me?!"_ Massie yelled into her phone, flopping down onto her plush queen sized bed and throwing her phone down beside her. She was outraged at how her first day at her internship went, and this night would not be a peaceful one.

" _Everyone likes me! Everyone wants to be with me, or be me! How can someone just...not?!"_

" _Mass, you have a personality that maybe doesn't get along with ever-"_

" _Shut the fuck UP, Dylan! You know everyone loves me!"_

" _Yes, but we aren't in high school anymore! We're almost seven years out! People aren't afraid of the mean girl game anymore, Massie. Now, people don't have to automatically like us because we're beautiful and in charge. Now, people either like us, or don't. It's a hard reality, I know."_ Ever since Dylan and her family landed that reality television show, she's been a high-and-mighty philosophical type, and Massie was over it.

Massie and Dylan have been best friends since diapers, when Massie Block moved into Westchester. They grew up together, had sleepovers every weekend together, along with their other two close friends Kristen and Claire. Dylan, though, has always been Massie's rock, so she was the one she called on most.

Dylan was a fiery redhead with a temper and a tongue to match. She was obsessed with counting carbs and macros, had a love for all things coffee, and was the beta of Massie and her group, which came with special privileges. Special shopping trips with just Massie, movie nights in both of their at home viewing rooms that no one else was invited to, as well as these kind of conversations which no other member of the Pretty Committee was entitled to but her.

Massie let Dylan see that side of her, the weak side of her. She wasn't allowed to show others, but a beta was an acception. They plotted and planned most of middle school and high school, and when Massie began to have mental breakdowns due to the stress of their social hierarchy, it was Dylan who was there to calm her down.

" _I get that, Dylan, but what don't I have? Let's be honest. I have every good trait in the book!"_

" _And are narcissistic, self-righteous, and kind of crazy."_

" _So what! Those are the traits the people love about me! What do you do when someone hates how you are?"_

" _M, it's your first day. I'm sure he doesn't hate you, yet at least. It usually takes a solid week to know for sure if you hate someone or not. Don't jump to conclusions and psych yourself out_ ," Dylan warned over the phone as Massie began twirling chunks of chestnut locks round her fingertips until they turned white.

Massie was prone to psyching herself out. The good part, though, was she could put on a facade so people who weren't close to her didn't notice. The chestnut haired girl loved to play mind games, which Dylan hated with a passion. Dylan was the kind to want to talk things out and move on, whereas Massie would sit and be spiteful for two months before even giving you the chance to try and talk about it all.

" _I just, I don't even know how to make a good impression at this point."_ Massie pouted, sticking out her lower lip and wrapping her arms around herself. She could not believe this was what her first day at work consisted of!

" _Just...just be nice, you can do that, can't you? Bring him coffee or something, I dunno. Just play to your strengths, Massie. You can handle any man that comes before you, this one shouldn't be a problem."_ With that, Dylan yelled an 'Ok, coming mom!' before saying goodbye to Massie and hanging up.

Massie sighed in aggravation, tossing her phone to the foot of her bed and closing her eyes.

She knew her best friend was most likely going to discuss shots with her producers, which was fine, they all have work and their own issues to tend to. She just couldn't help but feel alone, especially at times like this. With no siblings, her best friends were her sisters.

The question still remained, though. How do you make someone like you? Flashbacks to middle school rang clear in her mind, like when she discovered the How To Win Friends and Influence People audio book back in the day and studied it like it was the bible.

She didn't think that Derrick would be swayed by those tactics, though. She knew better. Boys like him weren't bought by sweet compliments, they were bought by you biting back. And dressing hot, of course.

* * *

Derrick was sitting at a table at his local japanese restaurant, talking with his fellow attorney at the firm, Chris Plovert. He couldn't get his new intern out of his head. He knew it was a dangerous game, a bad game, but he was bored and she was there and what kind of guy would he be if he didn't at least wonder?

" _Dude, you literally cannot. Remember what happened to the last office manager?"_ Chris asked before dipping his california roll in soy sauce and popping it into his mouth.

" _I wouldn't take advantage of her if that's what you're insinuating, you pig_." Derrick responded as he took a drink from his japanese beer. He would never, he was just...curious. Curious to see her limits, to see how far she'd want to get.

" _She's so young, too. I know you and Georgia didn't see eye to eye, and who could with how conniving she was. But, that doesn't mean you need to prey on the youthful. Us older, damaged men, need to focus on other older and damaged woman, not bring these young girls into our bullshit."_

Georgia was Derrick's long time ex girlfriend. They had broken up about seven months ago, after being together for the past five years. He didn't think she was the one, but he thought he was getting to the age where he needed to start settling down. After she cheated on him, twice might I add, he finally cut the cord.

Was he upset? He was, but he wasn't entirely depressed, either. He knew they wouldn't last, and although for a bit she had convinced him a future together was 'written in the stars', Derrick was so relieved he never purchased that ring.

He found that was the issue with society these days. It pressures you to make decisions just because of your age, something he was not fond of in the slightest. He wanted to be in control, make his own decisions.

" _Dude, she's twenty three. Three years isn't a big difference,"_ The brunette chided Plovert, shaking his head before taking a maki roll and wrapping it in a piece of ginger.

" _Oh...she looks so young, though. Maybe that's the lack of bitterness she's got going on, then."_ Plovert shrugged and began to work on his miso soup.

Derrick and Plovert had went to law school together at St John's University in the city, and were both applying for the same job fresh out of law school. The firm had agreed that they were both too valuable to lose, so they both were given a full time job at Stern and Komodo LLC. Plovert handled medical malpractice cases and foreclosures, whereas Derrick handled more family law and a few injury-related settlement cases.

They've been inseparable ever since.

It's actually kind of bad, because most of the time, people think they're in a committed relationship. Then, it gets awkward to explain.

" _Are you gonna finish that?"_ Plovert asked, his mouth already full of salmon sashimi before reaching into Derrick's plate with his chopsticks and stealing a piece of shrimp tempura.

" _Wow, Chris. Thanks for waiting for me to answer, actually I wasn't, but since I'm such an amazing friend, you can have my last piece of tempura._ " Derrick read out sarcastically, rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

Derrick and Chris usually spent their dinners together, because Chris's family lived upstate. Besides, the two boys were roommates, living in Scarsdale in the county of Westchester. Generally whoever got home first would cook dinner, which was usually Chris because Derrick was always so stressed and behind with his work. He was always last to leave the office, because then he could drop his facade of being calm cool and collected, and have his own freakouts.

Derrick didn't like it, but that's how things worked for him. It was easier for him, because then he got two hours of his own peace to spend it living with his anxiety before closing it up for the night. Was it normal? No. Maybe that was the other reason why he was so against having an intern, until Stern himself physically assigned him one because Derrick's workload was becoming outrageous. But, in all honesty, one look at Derrick Harrington, and who wouldn't want him as their attorney? He has a lot of older, female clients with divorces pending or injury-related cases that would love to get their hands on him for a night.

" _Why don't you two get lunch together or something? Maybe then you'll learn more about her than what's in her file, and you will either take back this fantasy, or it'll get worse and build up until you have the balls to do something about it."_ The brunette boy suggested as he ran a hand through his short, curly hair. His green eyes pierced into Derrick's brown, puppy like ones and Derrick after mulling the idea over in his head, nodded in agreement.

" _Tomorrow, I'll ask her if she'd like to go grab lunch together. What do girls like that even like? Salads? Fuck dude, what if she's vegan? I am not giving up my milkshakes or my hamburgers."_

* * *

Determined to make today better than her first, Massie threw her straightened chestnut locks over her shoulders before exiting the elevator and entering the office spaces. She was wearing a pair of white tracy reese wide-legged trousers, a black long sleeve flowy top from french connection was tucked into the flowy pants, and a pair of vince camuto slingback heels finished the look.

She sent a wave and a bright smile to Alicia, who stood up and waved to Massie with a grin before disappearing into another office room. This one was labeled "Plovert and Kingston". The door closed behind her, and Massie raised a plucked eyebrow before disappearing into her own office.

" _Hmm, Derrick isn't here, that's weird,_ " Massie mulled to herself as she settled back at her desk.

She pegged him as someone who was always on time or early when it came to work, but maybe it was just for yesterday because it was her first day? Why does she even care, though? Well, she doesn't want to work in a place where it's awkward because they don't talk. She cannot work in silence, and the fact that her suitemate hates her did no sit well with her.

Massie began getting to work on the massive amount of papers she had in her to do box. He must've filled it before he left the office last night, she thought to herself as she began arranging piles in terms of importance.

Once she had them all stacked up, she got out of her leather desk chair and went into the lobby to make herself some coffee and talk to Alicia a little. For some reason, though, Alicia wasn't at her desk. So, the brunette resorted to making her own coffee, grabbing one of the complimentary clif bars for a snack, and headed back to her office.

Alicia's absence at her desk was very strange to Massie. How was she supposed to greet clients, answer phones, respond to emails when she wasn't there? The brunette didn't understand how someone could just leave their area of work like that, but maybe it was because Massie didn't know the rules yet. It seemed like everyone who works there is very laid back about their work, and maybe Massie needed to learn how to be.

Spritzing some chanel perfume around her space, she sat down and breathed in the comforting scent of home. Of her home, of her power, of her importance. Massie clicked the noise machine on, considering her ah-nnoying officemate wasn't there to stop her. She was soon drawn into the sounds of the amazon rainforest, which stimulated her brain enough to let her breeze through her first stack of preliminary conference requests for different cases.

As Massie worked on her iPad, she took a small sip of her coffee and grimaced, promising herself that she'd make time to stop at starbucks on her morning commute tomorrow. The coffee in the lobby was just as bad, if not worse, than hotel room coffee you make in a mr. coffee machine. No amount of vanilla syrup and stevia could correct that.

" _I figured you'd fall for the coffee,"_ Derrick teased, dropping a hot cup of starbucks on the edge of her wooden desk. Hesitantly, Massie lifted the cup and sniffed it.

" _Vanilla latte, very good guess."_

" _The lobby coffee is for the clients, our coffee is in our break room. Third door on your left if you continue down this hallway,"_ The male chided before buttoning his dark grey and black striped suit jacket and throwing her a wink before resting his hands in the pockets of the matching dark grey slacks. " _And I do enjoy hearing crickets and macaws in their natural habitat. It makes me feel right at home._ " Derrick chortled, before turning on his heel and going back to his own desk.

" _I'm surprised how late you are this morning, you seem so punctual….almost a punctual as you seem sweet.."_ Massie jabbed, taking a long sip of her vanilla latte and savoring the taste.

" _You don't have to come in early, Block. It isn't high school, we don't have detention here."_ He chided, shaking his head and putting his feet up on the desk before opening his newspaper and whistling at the headlines.

" _Doesn't matter what I have to do, I want to make a good impression. Which reminds me, why do you hate me, anyway?"_ The brunette asked, examining her boss with sharp eyes. The white button down he wore under his suit jacket brought about a bright contrast, and his questionably tanned skin in the middle of winter popped even more under the white lighting in their office.

" _I don't hate you, why would you think that?"_

" _How you treated me yesterday gave me a pretty good hint, Harrington."_ She turned her head and gave him a sharp, pointed look right in his puppy dog eyes. He swore he could feel his insides grumble, and a slight hardness.

" _I've never had an intern before. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to act. I'm young, I'm not used to being a boss or anything. They never give me interns because I like my peace and quiet, but the workload I've been receiving lately is insane. Apparently, everyone wants a divorce now."_ The boy said nonchalantly with a shrug.

" _So…_." Massie trailed, waiting for an apology of some sort because that explanation was weak as fuck and she was not going to tolerate it. She expected more, demanded more, and Derrick loved it.

" _How about you let me treat you to lunch, and we can have a do-over?"_ He offered, giving her one of his patented grins and tilting his head a little to the left, his better side.

Massie eyed the clif bar sitting in the open drawer of her desk she was planning on munching on for her lunch, then looked back at Derrick and nodded her head. " _Okay, I like the sound of that._ "

" _Great, are you vegan?"_

" _Fuck no."_

" _Oh, thank God. I have no idea where to get that stuff."_

" _I'm pretty sure there's a vegan restaurant on every corner of every city block in all of Manhattan, but I appreciate you asking me."_

" _There is also a steakhouse on every corner of every city block, one of the reasons why I love this city so much."_

" _Yeah, I could see you sitting in a smokey steakhouse with a glass of whiskey and a sirloin."_

" _Thank you, that's exactly the look I go for in the mornings."_


	3. Chapter 3

Stern Komodo LLC allowed a two hour lunch break, considering how busy their attorneys and staff are during the actual business day. So, as promised, Derrick took Massie out to lunch. Lucky Bones is known to be one of the best steakhouses in all of the Upper East Side area, thank you very much.

Their clients were all the major celebrity names, or the New York Elite. Think the Rockefellers, The Lohans, The Marc Anthony's and Cyndi Lauper's of the world, as well as the rich but not as famous Hotz family, the Hurley's who's four sons are always getting themselves into legal trouble any given day of the week, and the Gregory family.

The Gregory family consists of Marsha and Thomas Gregory, notorious art collectors (or thieves, depending on what side of their trials you are sitting on). They have one daughter who is twenty three, graduated early from Yale and is on track to earn her MD license in the next year. They also have an estranged son, who's name is Connor, but he's never around. Plovert is usually on top of their cases. And, their daughter, but that's it's own discussion.

Plovert would love to say he and Kristen go way back, but they really don't. She came in one day to one of the meetings with her parents and Plovert, and stayed back to 'ask him some questions'. That ended up being held in the custodian's closet after hours. Since that first meeting, it almost is routine for them. He wishes that they'd be more, but he also knows better with the type of girl Kristen is.

The Hotz family is one of Derrick's closest friends. Not clients, but friends. He and Josh had become friends when they were in diapers, and nothing ever changed since. When Derrick had earned his law license and got hooked up with his current firm, Josh's parents dropped their family lawyer and came right to him. Talk about loyalty, right? Josh's parents are the creme of the crop of Westchester. They're one of the richest families in the community, involved in accounting and (ironically) embezzlement. When you know how to manipulate the books, you sometimes forget the legalities of it all.

This firm doesn't take little names or little people. To work there or to be represented, you need to be worth it and need to know someone. So, clearly to someone in Human Resources, Massie Block is worth it. Now, it's Derrick's job to find out just how worth it she really is.

She had to know someone to get here, because of how young she was. He hated that, he couldn't stand when people used their connections like that. He always thought that if you're really worth it and worth the money, you can get by just fine without networks or connections.

Derrick wasn't one to judge. He knew how it felt to be blamed for things, to be accused of getting this or that because of him or her. He never wanted to attribute his success to anyone else but him. Maybe that's because he's narcissistic, maybe it's because he's stubborn.

"So, is truth or dare more your style? Or icebreakers?" Derrick Harrington asked his young intern, tilting his head to the side as he took a long sip of his whiskey neat.

Was she really that young, though? He was twenty seven, and if she was in law school, she had to be at least twenty two. He couldn't imagine anyone any younger landing the internship role at this sort of firm.

"You can just ask me questions, Derrick." Massie replied, knowing he was fishing for information about her and not wanting to do the whole sly move kind of thing.

Besides, if they're expected to work side by side and be on the same page, there really can't be any of this nonchalantly speaking around each other and tip toeing around issues. Massie Block was a blunt girl, and he would need to learn how to get with that.

"Hi, I'm Skye, I'll be serving you today." A young girl with a thick head of blonde curls bounced up to the table, eyes glittering as she laid on Derrick and her smile megawatt bright.

"How may I serve you?" She asked, her voice dropping to a more sultry level after examining his dolce & gabbana suit and ralph lauren tie.

Massie could tell right away the kind of girl Skye was. She was practically drooling over Derrick, and it made Massie's stomach churn with annoyance. Why was she annoyed? Why does she care how another girl looks at him?

"Ribeye, rare, with teriyaki sauce. And, can I get a side of asparagus with that?" He asked, giving her a charming grin and handing her the menu back.

Skye gave a soft giggle, taking the menu back and making sure to graze her fingers across his hand as she did so.

"I'll have the petite filet mignon with a side of steak fries. Medium rare, thanks." Massie spoke up, after realizing their desperate waitress was eye-fucking Derrick and was most likely not going to ask Massie what she wanted.

She didn't even feel bad that she was snippy.

With that, Skye turned on her heel and walked toward her podium to enter their orders and watch Derrick some more without abandon.

"How old are you?" Her boss asked, his attention being turned back to the beautiful brunette seated across from him. The lighting in the steakhouse was dim, but somehow her eyes still lit up the whole table.

"Very forward, very much appreciated. Twenty three, and yourself?" Massie responded, reaching in front of her and grabbing a warm roll out of the bread basket. She sliced and buttered it, eyes remaining on her boss as he smirked.

"Twenty six, and believe me, it only goes downhill from here."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, you'll see how things go once you're in the field. For me, I deal with majority of divorces, which means I have a lot of divorcee women who just really want to sleep with me. So, they come to me for my face, and it sucks, but it pays the bills. You being a woman, and a pretty one at that? You'll probably have it pretty similar..."

Thank God that the restaurant was dark enough Derrick couldn't see her flush. Could he? Massie prayed it was a negative. This boy - well, man - was rarely nice to her over the past twenty four hours, yet he's sitting here calling her pretty? Maybe boys never do grow up.

"What made you want to be an attorney?" The brunette asked, twisting her long silky hair up into a top knot on the top of her head. She figured that the best way to break ice with him was talking about himself. Massie knew an alpha when she saw one, and even if they weren't in high school, the laws still apply. Feed their ego, let them talk.

"I grew up in a household where my dad was always working, always traveling for work, etc. He was never in the house, and it really made it hard for my sister and I growing up. I mean, your dad is supposed to teach you things he wasn't really around to teach us. I give my mom a lot of credit.

Most of the jobs I had the ability to get involved travel, and I knew that one day, I wouldn't want my kids to grow up like that. Being an attorney means I have a nine to five job where I can go home at the end of the day, I don't have to bring my work home, and it's paying a decent living."

"I get that."

"What about you?"

"My dad always wanted me to take over his company. He's a stockbroker, and has his own agency. I, on the other hand, do not want that kind of life. He's up all hours of the night, constantly stressed about the stock market, constantly on the phone. I know that law isn't easy and it isn't fun, but it's also a degree that no one in my family could help me get. Anything financially related, both of my parents have connections for. Legal? Absolutely none, so that means wherever I go, I go on my own.

Everyone knows my dad, and it sucks because it's like living in an unbeatable shadow. He's the best at what he does, so people tend to give me the upper hand without me really deserving it. I want to make something of myself, I want to know I did it because of Massie, not because of Massie Block."

Then, he realized who her dad , Derrick realized who Massie Block really was. Then, he realized what he was really in for. Derrick Harrington was screwed in every sense of the word. But, did that mean he was going to stop what he was doing? No, not in the slightest. He enjoyed a challenge, and knew the Blocks well enough to know that any daughter of William Block was most certainly going to be one hell of a challenge.

* * *

A lunch full of flirting and snide remarks later, the two made their way back to the office. Massie was slightly buzzed from the whiskey, making these cute little hiccups in their Uber ride back and Derrick couldn't miss out on the opportunity to call it out.

"Someone's gotta stop drinking," Derrick advised with a glimmer in his eyes, leaning over and nudging her shoulder as she scoffed in response.

"Absolutely, someone's gotta stop buying me drinks then!"

"Who can resist when you're so cute tipsy?"

"Oh, I'm cute?"

"No, your hiccups are cute when you're tipsy."

"Same difference."

The Uber stopped at their office, letting them out while the constant New York City traffic drivers honked the horn behind them. Derrick got out first and held the door open for her without a word, while Massie thanked their driver with a giggle before climbing out of the Honda.

Derrick watched her long legs climb out of the car, licking his lips slightly as the rest of her body followed. Fuck him, literally though. Shaking his head, he closed the door after her and raised his hand in a wave to the driver before following her inside the building.

Just from walking behind her, he got a pretty solid idea of how she was treated and how she lived her life. The security guards winking at her as she put her pass in the scanner, the building assistants making sure to wave and greet her as she went towards the elevator and watching her ass move as she passed them. Don't forget the men going in and out of the building, drooling over her as she walked, which really irritated Derrick.

What is she, a piece of meat? Is she just something to chew up and spit out to these people? Not something to admire based off of her work ethic, her passion? Men don't really seem to care about those things, they care about what they'll get out of the equation. It makes Derrick sick. Don't get him wrong, he's all for a good time and will admit he tends to sexualize women too, but he also has a sister and knows where the line is drawn. He may act one way towards her and the rest of the world, but inside it's a very different story.

"Are you coming?" Massie called to him, as her Cartier ring-covered fingers were holding the elevator door open. He didn't realize he had just stopped in the middle of the lobby.

"Oh, right." Derrick nodded, quickly moving pace towards the elevator and was met by giggles when he stepped inside the black glass elevator. He leaned against the back of it beside Massie, closing his eyes for a moment and leaning his head backwards.

"Someone really needs to stop drinking!"

"Shut it, Block."

"Make me, Harrington."

"Oh believe me, you don't want that."


	4. Chapter 4

As soon as they entered their floor, it was like a whirlwind of chaos and commotion. There were camera crews and reporters flocking to the elevator where Derrick and Massie were attempting to leave from, a podium set up in the middle of the lobby which was rearranged to look like the perfect venue for a press conference, and all of their fellow colleagues were standing around looking just as confused.

Winkie Porter was first to lunge at Derrick and Massie, shoving a black microphone in both of their faces as her hungry black eyes examined the pair up and down. The way she studied Derrick made Massie's stomach churn, and the amber eyed brunette quickly examined the situation around her, looking for Alicia or another familiar face to drag her out of this.

" _Is it true you're representing Ms. Carson on the murder trial of her husband?"_

" _Derrick Harrington, is it true that you are pledging her innocence?"_

" _Massie Block, did your father get you this position too?"_

" _Our attorneys will not be making any comments at this time. If you have any such questions, they can wait until the press conference which begins in fifteen minutes. Please wait your turn and take your seats before I have security cart you and your crew away, Winkie."_ A skinny blonde Massie hadn't ever seen before came popping her way into the commotion, pushing Massie and Derrick through the throng of reporters and camera men and into their private office.

Massie hiccupped, following as Derrick pulled her into their office and slammed the door shut. Turning the top lock, he then turned his body to face Claire and crossed his arms over his toned chest and raised a dirty blonde eyebrow at her.

" _What the fuck, Claire?!"_

" _What?!"_

" _You volunteered me for a murder trial?! I do divorce, foreclosure!"_

" _Yeah, and she's a grieving young widow who needs a hot piece of ass with a brain!"_

" _Give her to Plovert!"_

" _No, she requested you!"_

" _Did you really not think of running this by me first?"_ Derrick questioned, and the anger in his voice was clear as he ran his hands violently through his curls and let out a big puff of air he didn't know he had been holding in.

" _I didn't think you'd mind."_

" _I do mind being ambushed in the lobby of my fucking office, Lyons."_

" _I'm gonna go to the bathroom."_ Massie muttered, feeling very out of place for some reason in her own office.

" _Who even are you?_ " The blonde, who Massie gathered was Claire Lyons, turned her head to look at her and gave her a very bitchy glare and a once over.

" _Excuse yourself, Claire. She's my assistant, she'll be working with me on this stupid fucking case you signed me up for. No one asked for your attitude when you set all of this shit up. No one asked you to set any of this shit up, actually. Of course, you did things of your own accord and in Claire Lyons fashion, they will blow up in your face. Now apologize for coming off as such a bitch to her, she works here too, and go outside and do something useful with whatever it is you do."_

Claire paled, and Massie's face heated up with a red blush creeping up her neck. Massie could tell something was going on between them. There was some sort of deep seated animosity between the pair that extended past this little hiccup in her assigning him a case out of his range. Claire blinked at Massie a few times, muttering an apology before unlocking the door and disappearing into the hallway letting the door slam with a bang.

" _I'm sorry about her. We uh,"_ Derrick sighed, shaking his head and trailing off as he took a seat at his black leather desk chair and gesturing for Massie to do the same.

Instead of sitting at her own, she stepped forward and took a seat on top of his own cherry wood desk top. Massie crossed her legs, letting them swing back and forth off the front of his desk as she watched him search for words in his mind while his soft eyes searched up and down her legs. Who said that their flirting at lunch had to stop? The alpha knew that somewhere inside of him, he wanted her, and badly. Now, after that stunt Claire just pulled, she wanted to bring it out even more.

" _You what?"_ The brunette asked softly, tilting her head to the side as her hair cascaded down her shoulders.

" _We used to date. They always say to not fuck where you work, but we did that anyway. She wanted a relationship and I wasn't really ready, but I got involved anyway and it ended really badly, as you could probably tell. Since then, she's always tried to stick it to me anyway she can. She runs our consumer relations department, so she handles case assignments, media relations, all of that."_

" _Oh wow, she seems so pleasant, I wonder why you two would split."_ Massie replied in a dry tone, which got a laugh out of Derrick.

" _Oh, you have no idea, Block."_

* * *

Alongside her father, Massie had done tons of press conferences before. She was a professional at staring into cameras with stoic expressions, not speaking until advised by someone else, and letting the cameras believe she was the all around perfect daughter. Why was this press conference so different?

Maybe it was the fact that Claire was standing between her and Derrick, constantly pushing into her every time the camera attempted to pan to Massie. Maybe it was the way Winkie would lick her lips and eye Derrick up and down like he was a snack. Or, it could have been from all the booze they had drank at lunch that they now had to pretend didn't just happen.

The lunch itself was eventful. She didn't expect Derrick to start flirting with her so openly yet, but of course she didn't mind one bit. After the discussion he and Claire had in front of her and how Claire has treated her today, Massie was going to make damn sure she amped up the flirting factor of their 'working relationship' juuust a little bit more.

She finally felt like she made some headway with Derrick. They were making progress, they were starting to open up a little bit more and she could tell he was warming up to her. Massie could see that Derrick wasn't an easy book to crack, and she didn't expect that, she liked a challenge any way she could have them. Still, she didn't expect her day to shift from a flirty boozy lunch to a press conference straight from hell in a handbag.

Zoning back into the press conference, she felt Derrick's gaze studying her. Blinking her amber eyes up at him, he gave her a warm smile before announcing her as his new partner at the Stern Komodo LLC firm. He promised the media - and directed his words at Claire - that they would be working side by side tirelessly until this case was solved.

" _Even if it means sleeping here,"_ he joked as he shot a wink into one of the numerous cameras before handing the microphone off to their CEO.

All of the major news stations in New York was here. Apparently this client who Massie was impatiently waiting to meet with and she was sure Derrick was dreading was very high profile. There were reporters from Manhattan, Queens, Long Island, even Albany. The brunette secretly hoped she'd be able to be in on all those meetings, one to scope out exactly how high profile this widow is, and two to see why this woman requested Derrick.

Massie knew why, of course. He was gorgeous, standing tall at six foot at least with such broad shoulders and it wa clear by the way his suits fit him his chest and arms were just as toned. After doing some research the night prior, Massie was able to find lots of articles on Mr. Derrick Harrington. Most focused on his legal work, but some praising him on being one of the most handsome at the firm, ranked one of the top 'hottest attorneys in Eastern District Courts', and some articles about his high school soccer career popped up as well.

It turns out Derrick had attended Massie's brother school, Briarwood Academy. He was a few years older than her, so he was most likely graduating by the time she entered Octavian County  
Day considering he had just turned twenty six and Massie herself was twenty three. Her ex boyfriend, James Macarthur, was on the Briarwood Tomahawk Varsity soccer team as a freshman, most likely alongside Derrick, but Massie wasn't sure she wanted to ask about that anytime soon.

After he handed the microphone off, he ushered Massie off the stage and they moved to behind the camera's reach as their CEO began his closing statements. Taking her by the wrist, he led her back to their office where she was sure they'd need to hide from all the questions they'd be getting from the thirsty reporters hanging on their every last words. Massie made sure to turn her head back and shoot Claire a vicious wink before disappearing into her office with Derrick. If you can't beat em, right?

* * *

An hour after the press conference was wrapped up, Massie and Derrick sat at their respected desks with cups of Starbucks in hand, stacks of papers cluttering the tops of their desks and eyes glued to their computer screens. The only sound in the office was the quiet misting coming out of Massie's diffuser, which oddly enough, Derrick requested to be put on. Massie put in a blend of lavender and peppermint oil, hoping it would calm the rising tension in the room as they both grew more and more aggravated at their paperwork.

" _Seriously? She needs how many non-disclosure agreements signed on our behalf?"_ Massie murmured under her breath, rolling her amber eyes and taking another sip of her venti iced soy milk vanilla latte.

" _Clearly she's afraid of something getting out. The question is why she's so afraid, which leads me to believe without even meeting her that she has a guilty conscience. Fuck me, I never wanted to get involved in a case like this."_

" _To be fair, I never expected to be working a case for at least two months."_

" _Well, Block, there's a first for both of us I guess."_

" _Thank you, by the way."_

" _For what?"_

" _For believing in me, for putting me on this with you. For calling Claire out and making her apologize, for sticking up for me when you barely know me."_ Massie looked up from her computer to set her eyes on Derrick, but he was already staring at her. She didn't want to acknowledge the shivers she felt going down her spine when her fiery amber eyes met his soft brown ones _. "Thank you for introducing me to the media, for thinking I can handle all of this and not babying me or pushing me off to the side because I'm young."_

" _When I first started, I sat at a receptionist's desk for six months filing papers before I was offered any real work to do. Then, that real work was drafting and emailing adjournment stipulations. Eventually they gave me my own desk in someone else's office where I typed up papers while the other attorney dictated them to me. I know how it feels to not get a fair shot at these kinds of things, and I don't want to see that happen to you. You're a bright girl. You're a Block, you're more than capable. And, I don't mean that based on your family or your father. I mean that based on the drive I know you have inside of you because I wouldn't of picked you if I didn't think you did."_ Derrick stated very matter-of-factly before standing and walking through the open doorway that separated their two desk spaces. He came over to where she was seated at her desk, moving a few of her papers aside and sitting on the top of hers like she did to him a few hours beforehand. Derrick leaned forward, folding his hands in his lap.

" _You picked me?"_ Her brown eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she examined him. He was so close to her, his proximity to her growing closer and closer with every move he made. It almost felt like a pull, a gravitational pull.

" _I'm the only attorney without an intern, but it's been that way for a while because I'm picky. I didn't want some random law school student with a head up their la perla's and I wanted to make sure they were qualified. I can't be picking up slack, at that rate I'd rather be by myself. I screened you, someone in HR conducted the interview but it was recorded so I was able to watch it over and make the final call."_

" _Oh, I didn't know that."_

" _No, but now that you do, does that make you feel any different?"_

" _It makes me feel like you're going to be a lot harder on me."_

With that, Derrick couldn't fight the smirk on his lips _. "In what sense?"_

" _I mean, I wouldn't be opposed to the physical sense, but I meant more of the mental."_

He almost choked as he took a sip of his coffee he brought over _. "Someone's upfront."_

" _I don't like beating around the bush."_ Massie retorted with a small shrug.

" _So what do you like, then?"_

" _I like a lot of things. I like kissing cute boys that won't break my heart, I like the tit for tat and making snarky remarks, I like asserting my dominance and little obnoxious blonde bitches knowing their place, I like hooking up in offices with my superior, I lik-"_

She was cut off by Derrick leaning forward, resting his left hand on the back of her neck and tugging her into him which she quickly moved into. His right hand went directly to her hip, pulling her body into his so she was standing over him as he sat on the edge of her desk and pressed his soft lips into her plump pink ones.

Massie rested her hands on his shoulders as his grip on her hip tightened, leaning into him further and slowly parting her lips as his tongue began to poke at her mouth begging for entrance. Allowing it, Derrick moved his hand from her hip to her thighs and in a swift motion hoisted her onto the desk and into his lap.

She kicked her black patent leather Jimmy Choo heels off, smirking with satisfaction at the noise they made as they tumbled to the floor as she wrapped her legs around his hips. Massie mentally scolded herself, knowing it would most likely wrinkle her Theory grey plaid mini skirt, but she didn't care. All she cared about was Derrick's lips on hers, his tongue doing this flicking motion inside of her mouth and his hands exploring her body like they'd never touched a female before.

Derrick let his hands wander once she had her legs wrapped round him. Moving up, he let his fingers get to work on untucking her AQUA brand white satin tank top from her skirt and slowly beginning to tug on it, showing her he wanted it off. When she didn't object, he pulled his mouth away from hers to tug it off which made her whine at the loss of contact.

He then began to kiss at her neck, starting at the back of her ear and working his way down the nape of her neck which made her let out a soft moan. God, he could listen to that for the rest of his life. As he was about to start working his way down her chest, Massie heard a noise on the other side of their locked office door and pulled away, pushing his chin up and putting a finger to his mouth telling him to be quiet.

The pair broke apart, and Massie began to redress as Derrick straightened himself out as quietly as possible and helped Massie get herself back together as well. When the two were set, he pressed his lips again to hers softly, and whispered in her ear.

" _Don't think we're done here,"_ he nipped at the bottom of her earlobe, leaving her face flushed before going to their office door and unlocking it.

Opening it with a bored expression, he took more papers from one of Alicia's helpers at the front desk and made a face when the young assistant named Jeremy informed him that the widow was in the waiting room to meet with he and Massie.

" _We'll meet her in meeting room C, you can have someone send her in and get her comfortable. We'll just need to get our file ready considering how extensive it is, and we'll be there in about ten minutes or less."_

With a nod, the blonde Jeremy excused himself and scurried down the hallway to take care of the widow. Closing the door with the papers in hand, Derrick turned back to Massie who was still flushed but definitely more composed, straightening her blouse and spiritzing herself with her perfume.

" _You ready for this_?" He asked her, tilting his head back to the hallway as Massie put her pumps back on.

" _I was born ready."_


	5. Chapter 5

" _So, let me get this straight._ " Derrick started, his eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as his usually mild brown eyes were moving back and forth across the files in his grasp.

He and Massie were sitting at the mahogany conference table with Ms. Carson, a young newly widowed blonde who specifically requested Derrick Harrington's representation to clear her name as her husband's parents were attempting to charge her with murder.

" _You were having an affair with your husband's...brother?"_

" _Yes."_

" _Okay."_

Massie's eyes widened, but she tried her best to play it off as if this was a totally normal thing she was used to hearing all the time. Considering she grew up in this high class society, affairs were normal, but incest was not the norm. Maybe she was so shocked at how nonchalant their client made it all sound?

Derrick's face remained neutral, but his body language gave away the fact that he thought she was just as fucked up as Massie did. He knew he couldn't give too much of his own personal feelings away, not in front of their client. Instead, the male straightened out his shoulders and cleared his throat.

" _I know it isn't the most...modest or conventional thing."_

" _I'm not here to judge, Ms. Carson."_

" _Please, call me Natalie."_ The twenty nine year old brunette purred. From the sounds of it, Natalie wanted someone else to have an affair with already.

Natalie leaned forward in her stuffed red leather chair so her A-cup boobs were prominently popping forward in her white Tiger Mist crochet bodysuit that was tucked into a pair of light wash flared cut vintage Levi jeans. She had bright blue eyes as clear as the Atlantic Ocean, which Massie silently hated her for, and Dentyne white teeth that popped against her olive complexion. Her tanned skin was covered in gold rings and gold bangles, which added to her tacky, bohemian chic vibe she had going on.

Massie couldn't tell what her deal was. She was young, sure, but was her husband rich? She knew that this firm wasn't cheap. She needed to do some extensive research on their new client tonight, especially with how hard Natalie was flirting with Derrick. The young alpha knew a threat when she saw one and Natalie definitely wasn't one, but she was still fucking annoying and she wanted to swat her like a fly.

She didn't know why she needed Derrick's help so badly. He said it himself, he had never done a case like this before. He wasn't experienced with this kind of case matter in the slightest. Derrick was handsome, that was obvious, but if you were charged for murder why wouldn't you want someone with more experience? If you were facing a possible lifetime of jail time, wouldn't you want someone else? Usually Chris would handle those kinds of cases. Part of Massie wondered if Claire just assigned Derrick to the case to spite him. Something really wasn't adding up here.

" _Right. Okay, Natalie. So, where were you the night of Aaron's murder?"_

" _I was at my Spin class."_

" _Which was located where?"_

" _Studio 22, on Kisco Ave."_

Derrick nodded his head along to what Natalie was telling him, taking out a yellow legal pad and beginning to scribble some notes down for his own sake. He knew he'd need to figure out witnesses, an alibi for her for sure, he needed to look over the papers she was served with and answer those first though. Discovery demands would have to be first, he noted on his sheet.

" _I'm gonna need a time, date, and name of the instructor."_

" _Shouldn't she be taking notes?"_ Natalie asked, sticking her tongue to her top row of teeth and nodding her head in Massie's direction without moving her eyes off of Derrick's physique.

It made Massie's blood boil for two reasons. Firstly, address her by her name, hello. Secondly, get your tacky wardrobe and dirty eyes off of _her_ boss. No one was allowed to sit there and mentally undress him but her, thank you very much.

" _She's not an intern."_ He said sternly, dropping his pen onto the top of his legal pad and crossing his arms over his chest.

Derrick knew Massie would have to prepare for this in her career considering she was young, beautiful, and just starting out. It was common to be judged on your looks in any field, but especially in law. He knew first hand how unfair it could be, but could these women be any more crude?

" _Oh. I just assum-"_

" _She also has a name, but I'm sure we'll touch base again on that. Anyway. We're going to need any documents you were served with, do you have those on hand or will you need to deliver those tomorrow?"_

" _I can come back tomorrow with those."_

" _Okay, I'll have someone at the desk waiting for those."_

" _Oh, I can come bring them right to your office if that's easier."_

" _No no, that won't be necessary. I'll be in court tomorrow."_

" _Which court? I can meet you."_

" _They're going to want you to give it to the front desk so they can scan it into our electronic system and make any additional copies before the originals are in my hands. I won't be meeting with you again until it's time for trial."_

" _Oh."_

" _Now, were there any children that came out of this marriage?"_

" _I have a two year old daughter."_

" _Where is she, currently?"_

" _At my parents house. I think I should be keeping her there, in case his parents start trying to fight me for custody."_

" _I think so too, for now. We will have to figure out the logistics of that, but for now I need to see the paperwork before we get any further ahead of ourselves."_

" _Okay, I'll bring that right over in the morning."_

" _Other than that, I think we're done here for now. If you have any questions, feel free to call our office."_

Derrick stood up, collecting his papers and holding them under one arm. He extended his free hand to Natalie politely, giving her a grin and nodding his head.

" _We will get this taken care of, Ms. Carson."_

" _Thank you, Mr. Harrington."_

After saying their goodbyes, Derrick and Massie excused themselves as Jeremy came in and brought Ms. Carson back to the receptionists area to go over some contracts, non disclosure agreements, and the works. Massie followed Derrick down the black marble hallway, her pumps clicking against the shiny tiled hallway floors as they moseyed down to their office.

Once safely inside, Derrick tossed the files onto his desk top and put a hand to his forehead with a loud sigh. He could feel a headache coming on from this meeting, from this case in general and how pushy his new client was. He was really hoping to the God's that she wouldn't be a pain in the ass, but he wasn't so lucky this time. Dropping his hand from his forehead, he began rummaging through his desk drawers for his bottle of ibuprofen as he felt his assistant's eyes on him.

" _You okay?"_ Massie asked softly, tilting her head to the side as she watched his distressed mannerisms.

" _Not really."_ Derrick admitted, turning to look at his assistant as he popped two blue tablets into his mouth and swallowed them with his water bottle that was sitting on the desktop. _"I'm way in over my head already, I know that. I know this is the perfect opportunity for me to make a name for myself, I mean, our press conference has been on the news all fucking morning, Mass. It's national news, not local. Every major news station in the country picked it up."_

" _I've seen."_ She answered him even though she knew he really didn't want one. Instead, she took her seat on the corner of his desk, watching him with her amber eyes as he began to pace around the room.

" _Like, this would be my first shot at a real fucking case. It's crazy when you think about it, that I've been given this opportunity. She's fucking crazy too, and is trying to sleep with me 100%, but I'm also trying to pretend that isn't her intention here because it's already driving me batshit crazy and I don't need to be accused of anything in court and have this fall apart. I'm looking at this as a boost in my personal career, and yours."_

" _Mine?"_

" _Massie, you're an assistant and your first case is a high profile murder trial. My first case was a low budget divorce, and I didn't even land it for at least a year working with my firm. You're going to be the talk of your law class, you'll probably be guaranteed a job by the end of this trial."_

" _You think so?"_

The alpha was listening to everything that Derrick had to say, but for some reason, she couldn't stomach it. She couldn't stomach the thought of her leaving Derrick's side after this case was over, if he was the one to give her this start. She still had law school to finish, and she couldn't imagine not being able to do this with Derrick in a year.

" _I know so."_ Derrick stopped pacing to turn his body and look at her, really look at her. She was all bark and bite.

Massie wasn't harmless in the slightest, even though she tried to act like it. He also knew that she picked up on Natalie's intentions in their meeting earlier, and that if he didn't get her to leave, she probably would've. She tried to seem like she was sweet and innocent, but Derrick knew the kind of girl she was and he knew that if he pushed her hard enough she'd snap. Half of him wanted to see that for himself, the other half wanted to see that side of her in bed.

She didn't scare him, not in the slightest. She more or less aroused him, she kept him on edge and made him keep coming back for more. Derrick wanted more than anything to rile her up to the extreme, but he knew that he couldn't do that this early on. He wanted to savor the little bit of her innocence she was trying so hard to sell to him.

" _Thank you, for trying to help me like you are. You really don't have to."_

" _I want to. I want to see you succeed, no one wanted me to. I know how it felt, and I don't want you to feel the same way I did."_

* * *

The alpha let out a sigh of relief as she hung up the keys to her white BMW 4 series coupe next to the front door of her home. She saw her parents car keys hanging as well and heard the TV playing in the great room of the Block Estate and rolled her eyes, knowing that she was to be bombarded by a multitude of questions any second. It wasn't that she minded, but Kendra and William at the same time was a lot to handle.

Shaking her head, Massie ran a hand through her hair to smooth it out before tying it up at the top of her head in a messy bun and placing her chanel shoulder bag on the armchair of the entryway. She would bring it up to her room later, but right now Massie wanted to get the conversation with her parents out of the way.

Making her way into the kitchen, Massie greeted her staff with warm smiles as she grabbed a dairy free vanilla bean yogurt and a cold Voss water bottle from the fridge. Grabbing a gold spoon from the mahogany silverware drawer, she threw out the lid to her yogurt and began to dig in before she heard her name being called in the other room.

" _Massie, darling, come in here!"_

" _Yes, come in, our little lawyer, you!"_

Massie rolled her eyes.

" _Oh, stop it William!"_

Sighing to herself, Massie took her yogurt with her as she began to make her way towards the great room where she heard her parents calling her. Mentally, Massie tried to prepare herself for the conversation she would be forced to have and couldn't be any less thrilled. It wasn't that she didn't have a good relationship with them - the opposite, really, but sometimes when they were together they were just too much for her to want to deal with.

Her father still didn't understand why she didn't want to take over his company. The two had gotten into so many arguments and debates about it, and she knew once that press conference aired it would just fuel it once more, but she also felt...proud of herself. She was proud of herself for being part of such a high priority, high power firm. She was proud of how proud Derrick was to introduce her to the media, to the masses and to the public. For once, Massie got to stand there and say that she got something by herself, for herself.

Entering the lavish great room, Massie was taken back by the decor choices. It seemed Kendra decided to redecorate...again. The downside to having a mother like Kendra was that your home never felt like your home for too long, you never resonated or recognized the furniture or the decor for too long before it was gone.

Now, the walls were painted a warm toned grey with a thick white trim. There were matching low grey couches and armchairs, with navy accent pillows and a thick navy accent rug in the middle of the room on top of the cold grey tile floor. There was a round coffee table in the middle, all glass covered in navy pillar candles of all sizes and black and white fashion books. The floor to ceiling windows were draped in heavy navy curtains that blocked the light, the only light in the room coming from the oversized, gold deco-style chandelier that was hanging in the middle of the room.

" _Do you like it, honey?"_ Kendra Block asked, turning her head to look at her daughter up and down.

Kendra was sitting beside her husband on one of the couches. She was wearing a Splendid navy and white mock neck top, tucked into a pair of Elie Tahari khaki straight leg trousers. Her Essie ole caliente painted toes were popping out of her peep toe Karen Millen black booties, hanging off of the end of the couch. Her mother was always the done up picture perfect Westchester mother, and by the looks of her perfectly Drybar Southern Comfort blowout, she did none of the recent interior decorating.

" _It's...definitely different,"_ Massie supplied before taking a seat on one of the stiff armchairs.

Kendra's ruby red lips pouted. _"You'll get used to it, your father said the same thing."_

" _Because his daughter has good taste."_ William retorted, rolling his eyes and taking a sip of his dirty martini. " _We caught your press conference, you're quite the stunner up there."_

" _Thank you, daddy."_

" _It's a shame they didn't let you talk."_

" _I didn't want to. They ambushed us, we didn't even know we were assigned this case."_

" _Oh, really?"_

" _Claire, the blonde on the stage between Derrick and I? She assigned it to us without telling us, so when we got back from lunch I had Winkie Porter pushing her microphone into my face. I almost broke her fake button nose."_

" _Ha! Now that would've been a story worth reporting."_

" _That's Derrick? Is he your partner?"_ Kendra asked in her motherly tone, sitting upright now that she was finally interested in the conversation.

" _Yes, well, I'm his assistant technically."_

" _He's a cute one, Massie."_

" _Mother!"_

" _I'm just saying!"_

" _You know, your mother was my assistant."_

" _Dad! Eh-nough!"_ Massie stomped her pumps against the tiled floor, sitting upright in the stiff chair and crossing her arms over her chest.

" _I'm just saying, Massie, dear."_

" _We are nawt having this conversation."_

" _I think what your father is trying to say is to keep your mind open, you never know what may fall into your lap...or who."_

" _MOM!"_

" _Kendra!"_

" _What? Was that not what you were trying to say?!"_ Kendra's eyebrows raised in suspicion, the highest Massie had seen them since her latest botox injection.

" _I was trying to say that you'll make all different connections in your career path. Some will be to your benefit, some will not be. Just keep in mind who you're going to be surrounding yourself with."_


	6. Chapter 6

**One New Message via iMessage**

 **D. Harrington: Like how wild is this?**

 **M. Block: Which part?**

 **D. Harrington: The part that we're representing a client who's barely even older than me accused of murdering her husband, who's trying to sleep with her attorney, who slept with her brother-in-law, I'm getting palpitations I think.**

 **M. Block: I think you need a latte and a vicodin.**

 **D. Harrington: That's after work plans, Block.**

 **M. Block: Well x-cuse me for offering some fun into your bleak Wednesday mid noon.**

 **D. Harrington: It's only bleak because you aren't here.**

 **M. Block: I do still have classes I need to attend Wednesdays & Thursdays, sir. **

**D. Harrington: Call me that again?**

 **M. Block: No.**

Massie rolled her eyes, before turning her attention back to her Ethics professor in the front of the classroom as he drooled on and on about the importance of keeping signed retainer statements throughout the duration of the case and the seven year statute afterwards. What is this, freshman year? Massie learned more within the first month working at her firm than in this class.

It was strange, in a way. She had been working at the firm for over a month now, and her and Derrick had been doing...well, whatever they had been doing for about three weeks. It's not that it didn't feel right, because it did, it feels almost too right.

The way her body molds into his, the way he looks at her like half of him wants to break her but the other half just wants to cherish her. The way he'll hold every door for her and scowl at the other men who objectify her, how he stands up for her when other people in the firm doubt her or her capabilities.

Massie knew he treated her differently, she just really hoped this special treatment didn't give too much away to the other girls working in the firm. It seemed, though, most employees in the firm had their person.

Alicia and Josh seemed like they had some sort of balance going on together, she was his first call in and Josh always came to bat for.

There was a girl named Paige Williams who worked there, a very thin fragile looking strawberry blonde paralegal who assisted Chris Abeley.

Kristen Gregory, who was a family client's daughter, was always hooking up with Chris Plovert after their 'business meetings'.

Alana Sanders, a curvy brunette with a thick brooklyn accent was their in-house stenographer who shared an office with Dempsey Solomon, their in-house Referee.

 **One New Message via iMessage**

 **D. Harrington: Don't act like Riley's class is more stimulating than our conversation.**

 **M. Block: How do you know I'm in Riley's class right now?**

 **D. Harrington: I have your schedule. You picked most boring ethics class avail.**

 **M. Block: Don't remind me, please.**

 **D. Harrington: I can probably teach you something better. :)**

 **M. Block: Bet?**

 **D. Harrington: Class is in session Friday.**

Derrick smirked, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair at his desk. It was quiet in their shared office when she wasn't there, and if she asked him he'd lie, but sometimes when she was gone he'd even play with her stupid white noise machine so it didn't feel so lonely. Massie Block was a smart girl, which was why he had to be so careful. He never wanted her to feel like he was using her, like he was seeing past her.

He knew how it felt to be judged so harshly by your superiors, especially when you first began your career. Was he protective over her? Sure as hell he was, because he also knew better. He knew how quickly the other men around her were getting ready to chew her up and spit her out, which was why he worked so hard to prevent that.

Derrick had already told three other attorneys off since Block started working at the LLC to watch how they spoke about her and stay away from her since she was his partner at the firm and he wouldn't stand for any bullshit treatment towards her. But, Derrick also had his own reputation on the line and had to keep his knight in shining armour routine down to the minimum so no one caught on.

It was hard for him. He couldn't help it, he couldn't fight the urges he had to push her up against walls and keep their doors locked at all times and be so fucking rough with her at all times but also kiss her cheeks and stroke her face and tell her how truly beautiful he thinks she is. He craved her and wanted her all to himself and knew that at some point, it wouldn't be practical anymore but when they had to have that conversation, they would.

For now, it was all fun and games.

 **One New Message via iMessage**

 **M. Block: Look at you making the rules for once.**

 **D. Harrington: For once?**

 **M. Block: O.M.G is that a double question mark? Did I crack the code to Derrick Harrington's lack of emotion?**

 **D. Harrington: Maybe.**

 **M. Block: Oh no don't stop me now, this is big. We're onto something.**

 **D. Harrington: You know if you fail your ethics class you can't work here.**

 **M. Block: You know you're deflecting HEAVY because I'm getting somewhere with you now.**

 **D. Harrington: That's also true.**

 **M. Block: Spit it out, D.**

 **D. Harrington: Can't, Alicia's at the door, gotta go to the briefing meeting and she doesn't wanna walk in alone. J is mad at her again.**

 **M. Block: You suck at lying.**

 **D. Harrington: She says hi.**

 **M. Block: She says it with more emotion than that.**

 **D. Harrington: She says "hiiiiiii mass! I miss you smmmm!"**

 **M. Block: That's way better. Byeeeeee D.**

 **D. Harrington: Bye Mass.**

* * *

Dylan raised a very skeptical red eyebrow at the best friend she had since she was seven, knowing something was up with her but also knowing that Massie Block doesn't like when people pry into her life.

She's very much an open book about information, so if the girl isn't speaking yet it's most likely because she herself is trying to put into words how she's feeling or what's going on in her brain. But, Dylan doesn't have the patience to wait until hell freezes over.

" _Spill it, Mass. Or, should I call you Massington?"_

" _How dare you!"_

" _What? Kendra and I talk!"_

" _I can tell!"_ Massie scoffed, shaking her head and tossing her silky straight chestnut locks over her right shoulder before turning her attention to her nail artist and rolling her eyes. _"Can you buh-lieve her, Nancy?"_

" _Tsk, tsk!"_

" _Oh save it Nancy, you asked me when I first got here!"_ Dylan narrowed her jade green eyes at Massie's nail tech.

" _I did not!"_

" _You said, and I quote, 'is Massie dating that handsome man in that press conference?' I know you're a gossip!"_

" _NANCY!"_

" _He is quite handsome."_

" _Oh my god, I can't go anywhere with any of you anymore."_

" _So, Massie, tell me the details before I have to rip them out of that pretty little skull of yours because you and I both know I take no bullshit and have absolutely no patience."_

" _Yes, Dyl. We're...well, we're seeing each other, but not officially or anything. It's all behind closed doors, he could lose his job, so could I. Literally no one can know, it's just not how it's going to work."_

" _You're telling me there's a rule in the HR handbook?"_

" _For now, yes, technically. I'm an intern, he's my superior, I can't be in a relationship with him publicly until this internship is over. This isn't a relationship, either, we're just...just fucking around."_

" _I see."_

" _It's business professional, but he has a reputation there and I'm the new girl and it wouldn't go well. I met his ex, like, the first week, and she's a god damned nightmare."_

" _Really?"_

" _Yeah, super brash and rude. I dunno, I'd like to think I'm better than that. But we have to keep it closed off because there's so many listening ears, namely hers."_

" _I am living for this drama right now."_

" _Well, now you know. So, what do I do about it?"_

" _Wait are you asking for advice? From me? The queen of dead-end relationships?"_

" _Oh my god, your relationship with Dune isn't dead-end."_

" _He's probably the densest person I've ever met."_

" _And dated for three years."_

" _I love him, enough to admit openly that he isn't smart."_

" _Right, well we can tackle your problems next, Dylan."_

" _Ugh, thank god because it's really been weighing on me!"_

* * *

Massie sorted through the clothing hanging in her closet, mulling over her options for work the next day. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but knew she needed something new to spice up her wardrobe. Massie was so bored, and so tired of wearing all black like the rest of her company does. It's boring and sad, and the office could use some life to it.

Pulling out a bordeaux red silk camisole, she held the fabric between her thumb and pointer finger as she scanned the remainder of her closet for pieces to go alongside it. Settling on a black woven cardigan, a tight black mini-skirt and a pair of matching wine red heels, she figured the cardigan would balance off the pops of color enough to not draw too much attention but still keep his eyes on her.

 **D H: lunch tomorrow? My treat.**

 **Massie: I duno, depends on what my boss says. Tends to b a hardass at times.**

 **D H: I have a feeling he'll let you take a late lunch.**

 **Massie: I sure hope so, or this outfit will go to waste tm. Would hate to have to go to the board room to have someone admire it.**

 **D H: don't even go there.**

 **Massie: xoxo**

 **D H: how many times do i have to tell u i don't watch GG and don't know what that is supposed to mean.**

 **Massie: well maybe you should so u can get my references**

 **D H: maybe we can watch it this weeknd?**

Massie's eyebrows furrowed together at that. Derrick hasn't once in the past now four weeks tomorrow asked to see her outside of work before. He never even made a mention of wanting to do anything. This was different territory, and she wasn't quite sure how to navigate it.

 **D H: we can start it at my place saturday night, ill cook and we can have a non-work related date for once. If ur into it i mean.**

 **Massie: text me the address then, and pls don't give me food poisoning. My boss clearly can't handle working without me as it is.**

 **D H: ill have u know i never gave anyone food poisoning.**

 **Massie: there's always a first time**

 **D H: ;)**

 **D H: 287 E houston st, 9b. C u around 5?**

 **Massie: it's a date. Want coffee tm morning? Was going to stop by the thinking cup before work.**

 **D H: quad shot over ice w/ hazlenut + coconut milk, ill have cash for u.**

 **Massie: don't worry, see you tm :)**

 **D H is typing…**

 **D H: night massie**


	7. Chapter 7

If Massie charged a nickel for each man who eye-banged her on her way to work this morning, she could afford a penthouse suite at The Waldorf. Men really have no qualms these days about it, either. They have no shame whatsoever. Each time, Massie rolled her amber eyes and tugged her cardigan closer around her body. Every friday should start like this, she thought to herself.

Waiting in the elevator impatiently while she held Derrick's espresso shots over ice and her iced vanilla soy latte, the final employee walked inside and up they went. Blinking her eyes still in her lazy state of mind, Massie's eyes wandered to Claire who was in front of her currently on the phone. Who's making phone calls at seven AM, anyway? Psychopaths, that's who.

Shaking her head, Massie pushed her long side bangs out of her face as the elevator dinged to their floor. Moving out, she followed Claire into the lobby and watched the frazzled blonde slam papers down at the receptionist's desk before going into the supply closet to finish her phone call.

" _Kuh-learly someone's having a bad morning,"_ Alicia mumbled to Massie before rolling her black eyes and sticking her tongue out at the closed supply closet door.

" _What is her deal, after all?_ " Massie paused walking to ask Alicia. It was early enough that no one was really in yet, so she had some down time and knew Alicia was the gossip of the office.

" _She's still bitter about Derrick, and my guess is her new boyfriend isn't going so well."_

" _Oh, yeah?"_

" _Yes, they dated for a long time, Massie. It's gonna hurt when you're left like that. You know I take his side, though, she's a bitch."_

" _What do you mean by 'left like that'?"_

" _Oh, you didn't know?"_

" _Didn't know what?"_

" _She was pregnant when he left."_

" _Wait, what?_ " Massie almost dropped the two coffees in her hand.

" _She was pregnant, and kept saying she couldn't handle it. She wanted an abortion, he refused to let her and kept promising he'd help her however he could. He'd even take the baby alone if she carried it to term. But, it got to the point where she was going to do it anyway, so...he left. You can ask him about it if you don't believe me,_ " Alicia added quickly seeing the astonishment on Massie's face.

" _No, no, it's not that. It's just….wow."_

" _I know, not many people know, literally just Josh, Chris and I. And Claire, obviously, but after that we all cut ties with her because we knew she had more options. She just didn't want the inconvenience, Derrick even said he'd take the baby into his apartment and she'd never have to see it. She wouldn't budge."_

" _Wow, I never would've guessed any of that…"_ Massie said softly, her head spinning from all the details she's learning at seven in the fucking morning. When was he going to tell her that? Not like it was his responsibility, but if he wanted to go on dates now then shouldn't he mentioned that? Maybe even just noted to her that he and Claire have a bad past and a lot of past, so Massie could get prepared? Especially when Claire's such a raging bitch to Massie, at least now it makes some sort of sense.

" _Yeah, so that might help explain why she's so sensitive you're here now."_ Alicia was going to start another sentence when the two heard Josh calling for her. She gave Massie a shrug, leaning forward and squeezing Massie's shoulders. _"Don't overthink it, Mass. He'll tell you himself when he knows you won't run."_

Massie was going to ask her to clarify what that meant, but Alicia put one finger over her mouth in a 'hush, I know your secret' kind of way before bouncing off to Josh's office and closing the door.

Still, she couldn't wrap her head around any of this. Shook from this information and slightly nauseous, Massie walked to her and Derrick's shared office which was empty since Derrick doesn't come in usually until around eight thirty. She placed his cup on his desk, then walked through the doorway to her own desk and closed the door. She needed to think in peace.

Popping in her airpods once she was settled at her desk and felt secure with their dividing door being closed, Massie logged onto her office email and then into her law school's online database to pull up an ethics assignment she had due next monday. Figuring why not start it now, she got to work.

* * *

When Derrick came into the office, he waved to Alicia on his way to his desk. Walking inside, the first thing he noticed was that Massie wasn't sitting there waiting for him. He didn't notice the iced coffee on the corner of his desk. He didn't understand, usually Massie was there before him and waiting to see him. Setting down his briefcase and laptop, he turned and went back to the receptionist's desk.

" _Ali, have you seen Massie?"_

" _Yeah! She came in, like, half an hour ago, why?"_

" _I can't seem to find her, that's all."_

" _I'm sure she's in there, I haven't seen her leave yet."_

" _Alright, thanks."_

He walked back inside his office, closing the main door and finally seeing the iced espresso on his desk. Raising an eyebrow, he looked towards her desk and saw that their divider door was closed. Huh, weird, they've never closed it since she started here. He honestly had forgotten that there even was one, because they never used it so it remained hidden in the wall. Derrick took off his jacket and hung it on the back of his chair, then moved to the door and opened it slowly.

Derrick watched as Massie's fingers feverishly worked on the keyboard. He was curious as to what she was working on, considering he didn't give her anything to do yet due to him not being in until after her. Walking towards her, he stood behind her and lowered his head to look at her screen. An ethics report on why a client should divulge everything in their knowledge to their attorney so it doesn't harm them later. Or, as Massie wrote, 'why liars shouldn't lie'. Definitely a work in progress Mass, Derrick thought to himself.

He pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck, watching as goosebumps crawled over her body but her eyes remained on the computer screen in front of her. No reaction from her. _Weird_. Reaching down, he pulled one of the airpods out of her ears and whispered.

" _Busy?"_

" _Yeah."_

" _Is everything okay?"_

" _Yeah."_

" _Can you say anything other than 'yeah'?"_

" _Yep."_

" _What's wrong, Massie?"_

" _Nothing's wrong, just need to get this done."_

" _Oh, alright. I'll...I'll be inside if you need me, then."_

" _Alright."_

What the fuck was her problem today? Maybe he pushed her too far with the date night saturday? Still, if he did, she would've told him that when they were texting. She seemed totally receptive to that idea, so why the sudden change? As he took his seat at his own desk and powered up his laptop, his mind got the best of him. What was she being so defensive about?

He truly thought that Massie and himself were very similar. They came from similar backgrounds, both just wanting to make their own names for themselves in the cut-throat reality that is Manhattan. He thought he understood her well and she did him, but maybe he was misreading something? Maybe she didn't actually want more than an office fuck a few times a week.

Deciding that he'd let her simmer and when she was ready she would talk to him, Derrick got to work preparing his file for this murder case he was recently assigned and began drafting up discovery demands in preparation for their next court appearance. Maybe that was what was bothering her? Maybe she mis-read his politeness as a sign of wanting something with his new client? But he couldn't of acted any other way, plus this new case was going to be his breakthrough, he had to act as professional as possible.

He didn't realize that for about forty five minutes he was just staring at his computer screen when Massie snapped him out of his thoughts. She had opened their dividing door and came up to his desk, pushing some of his files aside and sitting on the desk's top in front of where he was sitting in his chair.

Derrick's puppy dog brown eyes watched her movements, Massie staring at him with her amber eyes aflame.

Who's going to back down first? Derrick was just as stubborn as Massie, they were equally as fierce and independent. Neither needed anyone but themselves, which was the problem. It was like two rams butting heads and horns. Massie wasn't going to back down, and Derrick surely wasn't going to cave either.

" _I'm sorry I over-reacted."_

" _What were you even reacting to, Massie?"_

" _Well, it's jus-"_

" _Look, if I overstepped my boundaries with asking you out, I'm sorry. I surely hope you don't think anything badly about me because of that. I thought we were just getting somewhere and I thought it was being reciprocated. I'm sorry."_

" _That's not it at all."_

" _Wait, what?"_

" _That isn't the reason. Alicia and I spoke before, and I was just….really shook about it."_

" _What did you two talk about?"_

" _She told me...things, that I wasn't expecting."_

" _Things? You have to elaborate, Mass."_

Massie bit down on her lower lip. She knew Alicia said not to bring it up and he'd tell her on his own when he was ready, but this didn't sit right with her.

" _Was it a boy or a girl, Derrick?"  
"Was it a bo...oh."_

" _Yeah. I wasn't prying, I swear! Claire was giving me a bad attitude this morning in front of Alicia, so I think Alicia was trying to explain to me why that would be. She didn't tell me details or anything, just that that happened, so she's taking her aggression out on me. Don't be mad at Alicia, she didn't try to hurt anyone."_

" _I'm not mad at her, I just wish...I just wish she would've let me tell you, I guess."_

Derrick huffed, sitting back in his chair and watching the beautiful girl in front of him. He could only think of what she most likely thought of him by now, and that was what he was upset about. He wanted to tell her on his own time, when he knew it wouldn't scare her away. Now though, she knew and she could run as fast as she could because she didn't know him yet, or the details of everything.

" _So you said your place, six tonight? Should I bring anything?"_ Massie asked softly, trying to distract him from his thoughts as he just looked at her with this glazed look in his eyes.

" _Just yourself, Mass. I'm going to cook for us, since you've really only seen my ability to order off a menu."_

" _You keep telling me what a good cook you are, so I'm excited to see that."_

Derrick smirked. _"I'm excited, too. Now you'll know more than two things that I'm good at."_ He gave her a wink, and Massie rolled her amber eyes before pushing herself up off of his desk.

" _A refresher of those two things wouldn't be so bad, either. And I don't mean the part with you ordering off a menu."_

* * *

Massie's eyes widened as she climbed out of her uber. She was wearing a black Bardot lace bodysuit, tucked into a pair of Levi's 721 ripped high waisted skinny jeans in dark wash. Her burgundy leather Vince Camuto pointed toe booties was a pop of color in her outfit, matching the burgundy Gucci marina leather wallet on a chain on her shoulder. Her long chestnut hair she styled into a half up, half down style and secured all possible flyaways. Her makeup was dark and vampy - her eyelids were covered in a brown smokey style, and she wore a berry red dior lipstick on her plump lips. She thanked her driver, then closed the door and watched the grey mazda zip down the street.

Turning back towards the building, she double checked to make sure she was at the right address before approaching the front door. The building was all windows with a big slant at the front. The doorman let her in, and after she told him whom she was visiting, he called the elevator for her and sent her up to the correct floor.

It turned out apartment 9B was half of the ninth floor. When she exited the elevator, there was a door leading to the left, 9A, and to the right, 9B. She raised her hand to knock, then paused and pressed her ear against the door. She heard Derrick humming along to something playing presumably out of his Alexa. Massie raised her black manicured palm and knocked thrice on the door, under his 'welcome' sign.

* * *

Derrick opened the grey door almost immediately with a bright grin, he clearly was expecting her. He eyed her up and down, moving to let her in. He watched as Massie Block gave him a warm smile, leaning in and giving him a squeeze before entering his apartment. God, she smelled like rose petals and vanilla and everything sweet in the world.

" _Welcome,"_ Derrick grinned, closing the door behind her and then waving his arm in a greeting sort of way. " _If you want, you can put your purse down and I can give you the tour?"_

Massie's eyes were wide, looking around her. She was raised in a wealthy family, yes, but she never saw anyone around her age appearing to be so successful. The apartment was huge, and very tastefully decorated, she might add. Nodding her head, she placed her purse on the counter then took his extended hand to guide her on this tour.

" _This is the kitchen, where I spend most of my time."_ He winked, before bringing her to the right where the den was. _"This is the living room, and the TV is set up with Netflix, Hulu, and cable."_ Intertwining their fingers, Derrick continued moving through the apartment. _"This is my bedroom,"_ he opened the door and gestured. " _Nothing too special, I assume no man's is without a woman's touch, you know?"_

Massie grinned brightly at that. _"That, you are correct on."_

" _Maybe you can add your touch, sometime soon."_

Blushing, Massie looked around before turning back to him. _"How many bedrooms?"_

" _Three."_

" _Oh, wow. Why did you want three?"_

Derrick coughed. " _Well, I thought that one day I would raise a family here. Then, I was thankful for it because I thought I would be. Now, they're just empty rooms."_

Massie could see the regret and disappointment on Derrick's face. Frowning, she leaned over and squeezed his left shoulder closest to her. " _You know you couldn't change that."_

" _I tried."_

" _But you couldn't change her mind, no one can. You can't regret it, living your life full of regret when you did everything possible? It isn't right."_

He looked down at Massie, really looking into her eyes. _"You know, you're right."_

" _I know I am. Where to, next?"_

" _Oh, the other two bedrooms are right down this hallway. There's the bathroom, and each bedroom has their own."_

" _This is a really nice place you have, Derrick."_

" _Thanks, I tried the best I could."_

Massie looked around the hallway, following Derrick back towards the kitchen. She noticed that all of the hallways and the living room too all lacked family photos. It was tastefully decorated, but there was no personal...anything. No family, no siblings, no personal photos of really anything. She wondered how Derrick really lived, how he really felt, what he did during the week at home.

Her booties clicked against the dark wooden floors as she followed to the kitchen. Derrick pulled out two long stemmed wine glasses out of one of the frosted kitchen cabinets, as well as a bottle of 2014 cabernet sauvignon. He removed the wrapper and cork, pouring them both a glass as the oven let a delicious smell of rosemary move through the air.

" _I hope you're hungry, I ended up cooking way more than I anticipated."_ Derrick told her, as he handed her one of the glasses.

" _With you? I'm famished."_ The brunette winked in reply, taking the glass from him and holding it up to clink. " _To us."_

" _To us."_ He repeated, them both taking a small sip of the wine in their glasses.

" _Oh wow, this is good. Napa?"_

" _Of course. God, you're smart, you're beautiful, you have an extensive knowledge of wine, what else could I ask for?"_ Derrick asked rhetorically, grinning and shaking his head as he leaned against the kitchen counter.

Massie's eyes trailed to the kitchen timer on the oven which read forty five minutes, then turned her gaze back to him with a devious smirk. _"I'm pretty good in bed, too. Wanna test me?"_

" _I'll lead the way."_ Derrick murmored, setting his glass down and reaching for her hand. He guided her back towards his bedroom, his puppy dog eyes growing dark and smokey with every step.


	8. Chapter 8

_Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz. Buzzzzz._

 _Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz. Buzzzzz._

 _Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz. Buzzzzz._

 _Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz. Buzzzzz._

" _For fuck's sake."_ Massie groaned, rolling over onto her side and opening her eyes. They stung from the light pouring into the apartment's windows, and she reached up to rub them. Pulling her hands away, she noticed black mascara all over her hands. Now woken up, Massie turned her gaze to the room around her, to the bed she was in, and to the man sleeping beside her.

" _What?"_ She asked herself quietly, not remembering the night before. Leaning over, she snatched her phone off of the bedside table and thumbed through her missed notifications. Massie saw she texted her parents the night before letting her know she was staying over Dylan's place, and texted Dylan telling her that she told her parents that. Dylan also called her twice already this morning, and it was only….eleven AM?!

Massie jumped out of bed, throwing the sheets and comforter off of her and standing to her feet. She felt a little wobbly, a little disoriented. It must've been from the two, or three, bottles of wine they finished last night. But what even was last night? She couldn't even begin to remember. Currently, she was standing in Derrick's bedroom in a t-shirt and sweatpants, both his, as he snored in the bed she was just sleeping in.

She tip-toed to the bathroom and closed the door, then turned around and leaned against the sink staring at herself in the mirror. She had raccoon eyes after smudging all of the makeup she apparently left on overnight (her esthetician will kill her, no doubt). But, despite all the ruined makeup, she looked rested for the first time in a long time that she could remember.

The brunette searched through Derrick's drawers, finding a hair brush and trying to smooth out the nest that her hair was currently appearing to look like. She grabbed the hair tie off of her wrist and tossed her hair up into a messy bun, then splashed her face with water at an attempt to remove her makeup.

Looking in the drawers, she found baby wipes and prayed to the gods that her skin wouldn't hate her for this, then took her makeup off with the wipes. Fanning her face to dry after, she took one of his white washcloths and tried to wash her skin to her best ability. Unfortunately, that meant his white washcloth came back orange and black.

Derrick had a few packages of the whisp travel toothbrush and paste combos, so Massie ripped one open and thoroughly brushed her teeth. After using the bathroom, she came back into the bedroom to see Derrick starting to stir awake.

" _Hey, sleepyhead."_

" _Mmmm, what time is it?"  
"Eleven."_

" _That early?"_

" _That late! I have to get home, my parents are going to kill me."_

" _Wait...your parents?"_

" _I still live with my parents, yes."_

" _I forgot you're young."_

" _Ew, don't say that. You aren't that old, Derrick."_ Massie rolled her eyes, throwing her used washcloth at him before looking around for her original outfit.

" _Keep the sweats."_ Derrick knew what she was doing. _"You'll just have to bring them back to me at some point, so it gives you an excuse to see me."_ He gave her a shy grin, taking the washcloth and tossing it at his hamper in the corner of his room.

" _Your words, not mine. Thank you for the whisps, by the way, but maybe next time you'll have face wipes for me?"_

" _If that means you plan on coming back, then yes."_ Derrick sat up in bed, letting the sheets fall to his hips and exposing his abs. Of course he slept without a shirt on, Massie thought to herself then shook her head.

" _I wish I could stay and get breakfast with you, but I'm going to be on curfew soon if I don't make it home in twenty."_

" _Do you need a ride?"_

" _Unfortunately, I told my parents I was sleeping over at Dylan's house...and she doesn't drive or have a car, so I have to uber it back to Westchester."_

" _You live in Westchester?"_

" _Yeah, I didn't know that was a surprise."_

" _My family is from there, I grew up there."_

" _Oh, really? Small world, I guess."_ Massie mused as she ordered her uber. Her phone dinged a minute later, signaling to meet her outside in three minutes.

" _I'll take care of your clothes, okay? I'm sure your parents would be more confused if you brought them home after a sleepover at a friend's house."_

" _Oh, good thinking. I'll talk to you later, okay?"_

Derrick stood up. _"I'll walk you down."_

" _No no, that's really not necessary. I'll see you later. Thank you for dinner, it was delicious, and I had a really great time. I'll see you monday."_

And as quickly as she came, Massie left with her heels in her hand and purse hanging off of her shoulder. She felt like she finally crossed a line, and it excited her, but she was also...terrified? Yeah, maybe that's a good word for it.

* * *

" _So you slept in his bed, and blew him off the next morning?!"_

" _Okay, when you say it like that, it sounds bad."_

" _Massie, what is wrong with you?"_ The spunky redhead threw her throw pillow at Massie, and rolled her emerald eyes.

Once Massie left Derrick's apartment, she flew home in the Uber. Her parents were busy in the kitchen entertaining some philanthropist guests, so Massie was able to sneak upstairs for a shower before her parents noticed the clothing she was wearing was most definitely not hers.

She returned downstairs after a long hot shower, with her hair blown out silky smooth pulled into a long ponytail. She changed into her own cream Free People Slouchy Tunic tucked into a pair of J Brand destroyed black jeans and a pair of her Marc Fisher black ankle booties (tucking Derrick's in a compartment she had built into her closet with a moveable wall panel so no one could see it was a hiding spot). Her skin was scrubbed fresh and clean, glowing from the vitamin C serum she applied to help clear all the debris from her skin.

Massie greeted her parents and the couple they were hosting, wishing them a good meeting and good afternoon before letting them know she'd be at Dylan's today. Before her parents could protest, Massie's driver Jacob (Isaac's son, of whom Massie missed his father quite dearly) honked outside, and she ran to the front door after kissing her parents on the cheeks.

The two girls got lunch and coffee delivered to Dylan's apartment in SoHo, pressed juicery sandwiches and two large blue bottle iced coffee from bryant park. Currently, Massie was running through all of the night before to Dylan while sitting on Dylan's overstuffed jade green couch, her empty sandwich container on the marble coffee table in front of her, her coffee clutched in her hand.

" _You know what's wrong with me, Dyl."_

" _No, I actually don't! Kyle was in undergrad, Massie. I thought you'd be over him by now, you're in fucking law school."_

" _It's not that. I am over him, totally."_

" _But?"_ Dylan drawled.

" _But, what he did, is what still hurts. It's going to haunt me, and I feel like it's going to follow me into this….well, whatever him and I have."_ The brunette spoke honestly, looking down at the couch she was currently sitting on with her legs crossed underneath her.

" _Massie, you can't hide from relationships in fear. You'll never love that way."_ Dylan softened her tone. _"I know it's scary, it's hard and unpredictable. But, look at what he's gone through, so much that you know of. I can imagine he's probably feeling the same way. Why can't you both just come out of this place of hurt, together?"_

Massie stayed quiet for a minute, before the front door to Dylan's apartment flew open.

" _Remind me to take her key,"_ Dylan muttered before standing up. _"Jamie, how nice to see you."_

" _I know, right? It must always be so nice to see me."_ Her sister, Jamie, the strawberry blonde beamed as she threw herself onto the ottoman opposite them.

Jamie and Dylan had a history of never seeing eye to eye. Dylan moved out of her parent's house when Jamie refused to, and has been living alone ever since. Jamie works for a model casting company, setting up high influence models with up and coming designers as well as the prestigious ones like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfigher. She is at every fashion week for work, and her fiance works in the finance district as a highly influential financial advisor. Jamie and him share a wing in the Marvil Mansion, which is super fucking strange to Dylan and Massie considering they're still living with Dylan's parents, but to each their own.

" _Now, Jamie, I know you never come here bearing good news."_

" _Oh, hush, Dyl. Can't I stop by for a little girl chat?!"_

" _Girl...chat?"_

" _Jamie, it's been way too long."_ Massie deadpanned, but Jamie looked at her with bright cheery eyes instead.

" _Ugh, Mass, how is law school? I saw you on that press conference with Jeremy's little brother, and it was so adorable."_

" _Who's little brother?"_

" _Jeremy? My fiance?"_

" _When was I with your fiance's brother at a press conference?"_

" _The only one I've ever seen you on, duh. Probably your first judging by how nervous you looked."_

Massie's eyes were hardened with annoyance at Jamie's statement. Her? Nervous? Please, she's been involved with media before she could walk. Still, Massie was very unsettled by what Jamie told her. Who was Jeremy's brother? She couldn't be talking about her boss, right?"

 _"I could see the way he looked at you. Harrington's always have their way, you know?"_

" _Wait...Derrick is Jeremy's brother_?"

" _Yeah, and his parents just looooved you two together at the conference. They must've watched it like, eight times I think?"_

" _Oh."_

" _They are so excited to meet you! Of course, Derrick told them nothing was going on, but they saw right through his bullshit."_

" _Oh?"_

" _You look pale, Massie. Maybe you should start eating more vegetables? You look a little faint."_

" _No, no, I'm okay. It's just been...it's been a long morning, that's all."_

" _Wait, so she's fucking your fiance's brother?"_ Dylan asked, which led to Massie reaching over and hitting her in the thigh.

" _Ow!"_

" _You didn't tell me you two were actually an item? Oh my god, his parents will LOVE this. I have to call Jeremy!"_

" _No, no, Jamie, it isn't like th-"_

" _Ugh, I'll be back! I promised him we'd have lunch and I'm apparently ten minutes late. I'll call you, Dyl. Kisses, Mass!"_

Jamie bounced off of the couch, grabbing her louis vuitton speedy off of the wooden floor and running out the door with a bounce in her step. Dylan looked at Massie, who looked like she was about to throw up.

 _"I'm sorry, Mass, I really didn't mean to say anything."_

" _No, Dyl it isn't that. It's the fact that his family is involved? His family is asking him questions about us?"  
"Massie, slow down."_

" _No, no, what if his parents try to meet me? How am I supposed to do this? This wasn't supposed to be like this Dylan."_

" _I mean, I get it, but at least you know you're in the clear?"_

" _Dyl!"_

" _I mean you know his family likes you and they haven't even met you! That is a win!"_

" _There's no winning here Dylan when there's no relationship!"_

" _But maybe you're the reason why there isn't?"_ Dylan proposed, taking a long sip of her iced coffee while letting Massie consider the option.

" _Maybe you're the one standing in front of your own happiness. Maybe, if everyone else is seeing things, you just...won't let yourself see it too. You should try, though, and start accepting that at some point you're going to have to confront your feelings for him."_

" _I'm not supposed to have any feelings for him, is the problem."_

" _There's nothing in protocol at your office about it, I'm sure."_

" _There is when I'm his assistant!"_

" _I think that's more of a moral argument than a structured one in the handbook."_

Massie blew out a puff of air and sat back on the couch, letting her head hang off the top of it. She knew at some point, they'd have to confront feelings, but this was too early in the game. I mean, his parents know? How the hell would her parents react? He's so much older than her, he's established, he's her BOSS. She could only see problems here, but at the same time….sitting next to Dylan just made her heart ache for Derrick even more.


End file.
